For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we are sharing some of our new picture books published in 2024! In the beautifully illustrated Gravity is Bringing Me Down, Wendelin Van Draanen mixes socioemotional learning with science as she walks readers through a day where nothing seems to be going right for the young Leda. She can’t stop dropping things or falling down, hilariously but seriously blaming the missteps on gravity and feeling more and more frustrated as the day goes on. After school, her mom brings Leda to the science museum, where she has fun, learns more about gravity, and eventually feels better. Not only will readers learn a bit about gravitational pull, but they might also hold gravity responsible for the next spilled glass of orange juice.

Check out more of our new picture books in our collection below!

Buffalo Fluffalo
Written by Bess Kalb
Illustrated by Erin Kraan
Published by Random House Studio
Available now!

Don’t Trust Cats: (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog)
Written by Dev Petty
Illustrated by Mike Boldt
Published by Doubleday
Available now!

Gravity is Bringing Me Down
Written by Wendelin Van Draanen
Illustrated by Cornelia Li
Published by Afred A. Knopf
Available January 16th, 2024!

Grumpy Monkey Spring Fever
Written by Suzanne Lang
Illustrated by Max Lang
Published by Random House Studio
Available now!

Like So
Written by Ruth Forman
Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa
Published by Little Simon
Available now!

The Spark in You
Written and illustrated by Andrea Pippins
Published by Random House Studio
Available now!